Discovery BoxExodus 18:26
Context18:26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring 1 to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.
Deuteronomy 13:14
Context13:14 You must investigate thoroughly and inquire carefully. If it is indeed true that such a disgraceful thing is being done among you, 2
Deuteronomy 17:8-10
Context17:8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, 3 legal claim, 4 or assault 5 – matters of controversy in your villages 6 – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. 7 17:9 You will go to the Levitical priests and the judge in office in those days and seek a solution; they will render a verdict. 17:10 You must then do as they have determined at that place the Lord chooses. Be careful to do just as you are taught.
Deuteronomy 17:1
Context17:1 You must not sacrifice to him 8 a bull or sheep that has a blemish or any other defect, because that is considered offensive 9 to the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 3:16-28
Context3:16 To the Reubenites and Gadites I allocated the territory extending from Gilead as far as Wadi Arnon (the exact middle of the wadi was a boundary) all the way to the Wadi Jabbok, the Ammonite border. 3:17 The Arabah and the Jordan River 10 were also a border, from the sea of Chinnereth 11 to the sea of the Arabah (that is, the Salt Sea), 12 beneath the watershed 13 of Pisgah 14 to the east.
3:18 At that time I instructed you as follows: “The Lord your God has given you this land for your possession. You warriors are to cross over before your fellow Israelites 15 equipped for battle. 3:19 But your wives, children, and livestock (of which I know you have many) may remain in the cities I have given you. 3:20 You must fight 16 until the Lord gives your countrymen victory 17 as he did you and they take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of the Jordan River. Then each of you may return to his own territory that I have given you.” 3:21 I also commanded Joshua at the same time, “You have seen everything the Lord your God did to these two kings; he 18 will do the same to all the kingdoms where you are going. 19 3:22 Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God will personally fight for you.”
3:23 Moreover, at that time I pleaded with the Lord, 3:24 “O, Lord God, 20 you have begun to show me 21 your greatness and strength. 22 (What god in heaven or earth can rival your works and mighty deeds?) 3:25 Let me please cross over to see the good land on the other side of the Jordan River – this good hill country and the Lebanon!” 23 3:26 But the Lord was angry at me because of you and would not listen to me. Instead, he 24 said to me, “Enough of that! 25 Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 3:27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and take a good look to the west, north, south, and east, 26 for you will not be allowed to cross the Jordan. 3:28 Commission 27 Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people over and will enable them to inherit the land you will see.”
Proverbs 25:2
Context25:2 It is the glory of God 28 to conceal 29 a matter,
and it is the glory of a king to search out a matter.
Proverbs 29:7
Context29:7 The righteous person cares for 30 the legal rights 31 of the poor;
the wicked does not understand such 32 knowledge.
[18:26] 1 tn This verb and the verb in the next clause are imperfect tenses. In the past tense narrative of the verse they must be customary, describing continuous action in past time.
[13:14] 2 tc Theodotian adds “in Israel,” perhaps to broaden the matter beyond the local village.
[17:8] 3 tn Heb “between blood and blood.”
[17:8] 4 tn Heb “between claim and claim.”
[17:8] 5 tn Heb “between blow and blow.”
[17:8] 7 tc Several Greek recensions add “to place his name there,” thus completing the usual formula to describe the central sanctuary (cf. Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18; 16:6). However, the context suggests that the local Levitical towns, and not the central sanctuary, are in mind.
[17:1] 8 tn Heb “to the
[17:1] 9 tn The Hebrew word תּוֹעֵבָה (to’evah, “an abomination”; cf. NAB) describes persons, things, or practices offensive to ritual or moral order. See M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 4:314-18; see also the note on the word “abhorrent” in Deut 7:25.
[3:17] 10 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in vv. 20, 25).
[3:17] 11 tn Heb “from Chinnereth.” The words “the sea of” have been supplied in the translation as a clarification.
[3:17] 12 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea (cf. Gen 14:3; Josh 3:16).
[3:17] 13 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term אַשְׁדֹּת (’ashdot) is unclear. It is usually translated either “slopes” (ASV, NAB, NIV) or “watershed” (NEB).
[3:17] 14 sn Pisgah. This appears to refer to a small range of mountains, the most prominent peak of which is Mount Nebo (Num 21:20; 23:14; Deut 3:27; cf. 34:1).
[3:18] 15 tn Heb “your brothers, the sons of Israel.”
[3:20] 16 tn The words “you must fight” are not present in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[3:20] 17 tn Heb “gives your brothers rest.”
[3:21] 18 tn Heb “the
[3:21] 19 tn Heb “which you are crossing over there.”
[3:24] 20 tn Heb “Lord
[3:24] 21 tn Heb “your servant.” The pronoun is used in the translation to clarify that Moses is speaking of himself, since in contemporary English one does not usually refer to oneself in third person.
[3:24] 22 tn Heb “your strong hand” (so NIV), a symbol of God’s activity.
[3:25] 23 tn The article is retained in the translation (“the Lebanon,” cf. also NAB, NRSV) to indicate that a region (rather than the modern country of Lebanon) is referred to here. Other recent English versions accomplish this by supplying “mountains” after “Lebanon” (TEV, CEV, NLT).
[3:26] 24 tn Heb “the
[3:26] 25 tn Heb “much to you” (an idiom).
[3:27] 26 tn Heb “lift your eyes to the west, north, south, and east and see with your eyes.” The translation omits the repetition of “your eyes” for stylistic reasons.
[3:28] 27 tn Heb “command”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “charge Joshua.”
[25:2] 28 sn The proverb provides a contrast between God and the king, and therein is the clue to the range of application involved. The interest of the king is ruling or administering his government; and so the subject matter is a contrast to the way God rules his kingdom.
[25:2] 29 sn The two infinitives form the heart of the contrast – “to conceal a matter” and “to search out a matter.” God’s government of the universe is beyond human understanding – humans cannot begin to fathom the intentions and operations of it. But it is the glory of kings to search out matters and make them intelligible to the people. Human government cannot claim divine secrecy; kings have to study and investigate everything before making a decision, even divine government as far as possible. But kings who rule as God’s representatives must also try to represent his will in human affairs – they must even inquire after God to find his will. This is their glorious nature and responsibility. For more general information on vv. 2-27, see G. E. Bryce, “Another Wisdom ‘Book’ in Proverbs,” JBL 91 (1972): 145-57.
[29:7] 30 tn The form is an active participle, יֹדֵעַ (yodea’); it describes the righteous as “knowing, caring for, having sympathetic knowledge for, or considering favorably” the legal needs of the poor. Cf. NAB “has a care for”; NASB “is concerned for.”
[29:7] 31 tn The Hebrew word used here is דִּין (din), which typically means “judgment,” but can also mean “strife” and “cause.” Here it refers to the “cause” of the poor (so KJV, ASV), their plea, their case, their legal rights. A righteous person is sympathetic to this.
[29:7] 32 tn The term “such” is supplied in the translation for clarification. It is not simply any knowledge that the wicked do not understand, but the knowledge mentioned in the first colon. They do not understand the “sympathetic knowledge” or “concern” for the cause of the poor.
